UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A Penn State alumna’s passion for supporting emerging communications leaders in the fields of advertising and public relations has produced a gift that will benefit students for years and positively impact members of a student team that annually represents the University in a national competition.
Melanie Querry, a 1998 graduate of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, made a $50,000 gift to Penn State and its chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Querry is the founder and president of Pittsburgh-based Beyond Spots & Dots, an advertising and marketing agency with offices in Baltimore and Columbus, Ohio.
A team of Penn State students annually competes in AAF’s National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC), which challenges teams from across the country to work with a national client and create a strategic advertising/marketing/media campaign for a corporate client.
A core team of students leads the comprehensive campaign effort — from primary and secondary research, so their work is grounded in fresh insights, to developing collateral pieces and a strong creative treatment — to complete a fully integrated communications program with high-quality print and video elements.
“It’s as hands-on and real-life as anything our students could do, and our students are really committed to it,” said Dave Wozniak, the Donald P. Bellisario Career Advancement Professor in the Department of Advertising/Public Relations. Wozniak serves as the adviser for the NSAC team, which is structured like a communications agency. “Melanie’s gift will go a long way toward supporting our students, giving them one less thing to worry about as part of the competition. We’re truly thankful for the gift, which will help the team put its best foot forward and benefit the students in terms of professional and skill development as part of the competition.”
Penn State reached the national finals of the competition in 2024 and consistently finishes among leaders in its region. Participation in the competition equips students with practical skills, a grounding in teamwork and industry-ready experience that prepares them for internships and careers.
Querry’s gift will support a range of student expenses, including presentation materials, travel, software and other tangible necessities for success in the competition.
“Penn State’s AAF chapter provides students with hands-on opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve and showcase their talent on a national stage,” said Querry. “As a Penn State graduate and a member of the Ad/PR Network Board, I’m honored to support this incredible group of future industry leaders as they chase their dreams and continue to represent Penn State’s tradition of excellence.”
Querry also said supporting students in the competition corresponded with the core values of her company. Beyond Spots & Dots provides agency services that range from digital advertising, programmatic tactics, social media, web development and SEO to traditional media buying, market research, copywriting, brand development and video production. The company has been recognized as a national Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Donors like Querry advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.